Fire-escape



(No Model.)

G. P. GOLDTHWAIT.

FIRE ESCAPE.

No. 449.319. Patented Mar. 31, 1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT FFlC E.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 449,319, dated March 31, 1891. Application filed July 9, 1890- Seriel-No. 358,149. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE F. GOLDTHWAIT, ofSoinerville, county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire Escapes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the drawings accompanying and forming a part hereof, in which' Figure 1 shows an elevation of my fire-escape constructed in the bestform now known to me, the side of the case or box in which it is contained being removed to show the mechanism. Fig. 2 is a view looking toward the left from line 2 2, Fig. 1, and showing the coiled springs which reverse the movement of the mechanism and operate to raise the rope after the descent has been made. Fig. 3 is a top view showing the friction devices by which the speed of the descent is regulated, the said devices being in the position which they occupy when the rope is being raised. Fig. 4 is a similar view but with the friction devices in contact-that is, in the position which they occupy when a descent is being made. Fig. 5 is a detail to be hereinafter referred to.

My invention will be readily understood from the following description, in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings. A is a box or case, which may be of any desirable form or material, and which serves not only as a protection but also as a framework for the mechanism.

B is a shaft journaled in the frame or box A, and which has secured to it a spool or drum 0 for the rope (Z. A beveled gear eis secured to the shaft B and may form one end or head of the spool c, as shown. There are also secured on the shaftB one or more coiled springs 2, which are fast at one end to the said shaft and at the other to a stud i set in the side of the case A. As the shaftB isrevolved in one direction by the descent of the rope d the springs 25 are wound up, so that when the weight which has descended on the rope is taken off the sprin gstwill act to raise the rope again, so that it may be ready for the next descent. To the top of the case A is bolted a bracket or frame f, in which is journaled ashort vertical shaft 9. To the lower end of the shaft gis securedabeveled pinion j, which meshes with the beveled gear e and is actuated thereby. To the upper end of the shaft 9 is secured a disk h, which is set within a circular aperture 7; in the top of the case A, said aperture being of slightly greater diameter than the disk 72, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. On top of the disk h I pivot near the periphery thereof one or more arms Z, which are of the curved shape shown, and which, being pivoted at one'en'd, will fly outwardly under the influence of centrifugal force as the shaft g and disk h revolve. The upper face of the disk It is below the top of the case, so that as the arms Z fly outwardly they come in contact with the edge of the aperture is and exert a retarding force on the shaft 9 and disk It. As will be clear, the greater the speed of the shaft and disk the greater will be the retarding force exerted by the arms Z in contact with the edge of the aperture 70.

As it is desirable that the arms Z should not retard the reverse movement of the mechanism and thus prevent the rope from rising quickly, I have secured the disk h on the shaft 9 as follows: A stud m (see Fig. 5) is setin the shaft 9 and projects into a slot or curved groove n, which is out in the disk h and eX- tends about three-quarters around the shaft g, as shown. When the mechanism is reversed by the action of the spring t, the first movement of the shaft g moves the stud on throughout the length of the groove 01 to the other end thereof. During this time the disk h is stationary. After the stud m has come to a hearing at the other end of the slot or groove 01 the disk It moves with the shaft 9. To the shaft g are secured chains 19, the other end of each chain being secured to the free end of one of the arms l. hen a descent is being made, the stud m is in the position shown, Fig. 4, the chains being slack and allowing the arms I to bear against the edge of the aperture 7t.- As the reversing mechanism begins to operate and the rope ascends, the stud m flies to the other end of the slot, winding up each of the chains 1) partially, as shown, Fig. 3, and drawing in the ends of the arms Z, so that they cannot come in contact with the side of the aperture 7t, and so cannot act to retard the movement of the mechanism.

For the purpose of greater security in getting onto the escape and of governing the descent of the rope, an additional brake device, which is under the control of the party descending or operating the machine, is provided. This consists of an arm q, pivoted to a stud 'r, set on the top of the case A, as shown, Fig. 1, said arm q being provided with a suitable shoe .9, designed to be brought into 0011- tact with the arms Z, and thus by friction to stop the movement of the disk 71, and shaft g. The end of the arm q is provided with a rope, which may extend downward, as indicated by the dotted line w, to a point Where it may be conveniently seized by a person descending or by one who may be operating the machine from the ground or from a floor of the building. The arm (1 is normally held up, keeping the brake-shoe 3 out of contact by a spring 1;, which is placed under the arm q, as shown, Fig. 1. The chief purpose of this brake device is to hold the mechanism stationary while a person is getting onto the escape. If no means were supplied for this purpose, the moment a person touched the rope it would descend with great rapidity, and it would be difficult, if not perilous, to get onto the escape. By seizing the rope attached to the arm (1 while gettingonto the escape the mechanism is held stationary, and when the person about to descend is safely in position he may then let go of the brake-rope, free the brake, and descend. The disk his described and shown as lying within a hole or aperture is in the top of the frame A. It will be obvious, however, that the aperture 70 might be in a separate piece and independent of the case Athat is, the arms 1 might co-operate with any fixed piece instead of with the edges of the aperture 70 in the top of the frame A.

In the drawings I have shown a hook as secured to the end of the rope d; but it will be obvious that a car or cage or chair of any suitable or well-known shape may be secured to the rope instead of the hook shown. The place in which the escape is used will govern to a considerable extent the character of the car or cage which is used.

What I claim is 1. A fire-escape having a drum or spool for the rope, a main shaft operated when the drum is revolved, a secondary shaft geared to said main shaft, a regulator device on said secondary shaft, consisting of a disk secured thereon and having a movement relative thereto, said disk having pivoted arms thereon, a stationary piece co-operating with said arms, chains connecting the free ends of said arms with said secondary shaft, and an additional brake device and means for operating the same, whereby the operation of the mechanism may be stopped or its movement con- .contact with the stationary piece, substantially as shown and described.

GEORGE F. GOLDTHWAIT. Witnesses:

WM. A. MAOLEOD, ROBERT WALLACE. 

